Ask
the Experts

Q My
older horse is in a lot of pain due to a chronic problem
and I’m thinking of having him euthanized. What types
of options do I have for disposing of his body in Maryland?

A I’m
sorry to hear that you’re faced with this decision.
Disposing of a deceased horse either on an individual basis
or on a large scale basis (e.g. barn fire) can be very
complicated in Maryland given that there have been no clear
guidelines set forth by the state. Under state law, disposal
of a deceased animal must be done in a manner that does
not spread disease or endanger public health (Maryland
Code-Agriculture § 3-108). the approved manner that
the code refers to, however, has yet to be speci fically
characterized. To make it more dif ficult on horse owners,
some counties have regulations on animal carcass disposal,
but some do not. Horse owners should research their county’s
code before disposing of an animal’s body either
by calling the entity responsible for solid waste disposal
or by reviewing the codes online at www.
generalcode.com.

Despite
not having a clear method as dictated by state law, horse
owners have several options to consider when disposing
of deceased animals. Deceased animal carcasses can be a
hazard to the environment, so minimizing soil and water
contamination is of utmost importance. The most common
methods of disposal are removal by a licensed deadstock
collector (i.e. renderer) or burying the deceased animal
on your farm in a proper animal disposal pit. Some disposal
options include:

Render

There
are a few companies that will remove a euthanized horse
for a fee that is usually around $250. the carcass is removed
to a facility that “recycles” them with other
carcasses into byproducts, so that the proteins, fats and
other elements can be used elsewhere. Make sure to limit
the access of the deadstock collector and his vehicle to
areas well away from other animals, their feed and water
supply, and grazing areas. the number of rendering companies
has been steadily declining over the last decade. To find
a render in Maryland, you can visit the National Renders
Association site at renderers.org.
One of the few companies left that serves Maryland is Valley
Proteins, Inc. (valleyproteins.com,
410-355-4800).

Bury

Burying
a horse is a common practice since many horse owners regard
their horses as family members and want to give them a
proper burial. Most counties allow animal owners to bury
the animals on their property, however it must be done
in an environmentally accepted manner. A generally recommended
procedure is to bury the animal more than 100 ft. from
property lines, more than 300 ft from water sources, put
lime on the top of the carcass, and use at least 3 ft of
topsoil over the top of the carcass, preferably mounded
to reduce water collection. It’s important to bury
a deceased horse well away from water sources to avoid
contamination of the water. Also, the lime is believed
to prevent wild animals from disrupting the site. Under
state law, if an animal has died of a contagious or infectious
disease, it can be buried to a depth of at least 3 ft within
three hours before sunset of the day following the discovery
of the animal (Maryland Code-Agriculture § 3-109).
To build a disposal site large enough for a horse, earth
moving equipment, like a tractor with a backhoe, must be
used to excavate a hole or trench large enough. Horses
will usually require a trench that’s 7 ft wide and
9 ft deep.

Another
option is to have the horse buried in a pet cemetery. There
are several burial options including headstones and graveside
funerals, which vary in cost from hundreds to thousands
of dollars. Be sure to check out the International Association
of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories (iaopc.com)
to find a pet cemetery in Maryland.

Cremation

Cremation
of a horse involves transporting the deceased body to a
facility with an incinerator and it is a very effective
means of disposing of a deceased horse that has died of
an infectious disease. Maryland’s State Diagnostic
Labs will cremate your instate horse for a fee of $0.50/lb
or about $550 for an average 1100 lb horse. The cost for
this service is high because of the cost of the fuel for
the incinerator and because deceased horse disposal is
not subsidized by government funds as it is for food animals.
Keep in mind that you would need to discuss having
the ashes returned to you if that’s your wish, because
that may not be a normal procedure within the charge. There
are also private crematories that you may want to look
into. Compost Composting involves the complete burying
of a horse above ground in a mound of carbon rich compost
material like shredded hay or stall waste and then allowed
to decay. The tissues of the carcass are broken down by
microbes and pathogens are killed due to the high temperatures
in the pile. For large animal carcasses, it’s recommended
to turn the pile after 6 months has passed. Also, proper
composting requires the pile reach high temperature ( > 130
F) and stay relatively moist. Composting is economical
method of carcass disposal in that is costs about $40 per
carcass, but it is not without its drawbacks. Large equipment
would be needed to move the horse to the compost location.
It often requires a large (20-30 ton) compost pile for
successful composting, which would be unlikely on a small
horse operation. The initial setup and labor can be quite
expensive. With the reduction of renderers in Maryland,
a large animal compost facility could become an excellent
market.

Burn

Under
state law, if the animal has died of a contagious or infectious
disease, it can be burned within three hours before sunset
of the day following the discovery of the animal (Maryland
Code-Agriculture § 3-109). However, open air burning
of deceased animals is not recommended due to the fact
that it pollutes the air and gives off a bad odor. Maryland
has a ban on open air burning from June 1 to September
1 of each year in most counties.

Landfill

Most
counties do not permit disposal of a deceased animal at
a landfill. Make sure to call your local landfill first
before moving the animal carcass to the land fill. Before
you decide on the method of disposal for your deceased
horse, think about your emotional and financial needs as
well as the regulatory and environmental considerations.
Horse owners need to consider their options for disposing
of their horses before they die so that they do not make
dif ficult decisions during an emotional time. If you need
guidance when making a decision, contact the Maryland State
Veterinarian’s Office (410-841-5810).

-Dr.
Amy Burk - University of Maryland

This
column is sponsored by the University of Maryland. the
views expressed herein are those of the author and are
not necessarily
those of The Equiery’s publisher or staff. If you
have a question for our Maryland Experts, you can e-mail it to
either Dr. Amy Burk atamyburk@umd.edu or
Erin Petersen at petersdr@umd.edu.
If they can not answer your question directly, they
will find the expert who can!